


Paper Hearts

by shamelesswonder



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, High School, Love Confessions, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-12 17:23:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19950022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shamelesswonder/pseuds/shamelesswonder
Summary: It’s Valentine’s Day and Rhett is hoping to win over Link’s heart.





	Paper Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> This is a self indulgent fluff thing based on a Valentine’s Day tradition we had at my high school. If your school did this too then hopefully it’s because what I thought was a unique tradition is actually super common and not because we went to the same high school. 
> 
> Enjoy (?)

It was Valentine’s Day and the main foyer of the school was buzzing with excitement, air uncomfortably warm from all the bodies packed in it. Rays of sunshine beamed into the room from the large back window, further increasing the temperature and illuminating the hundreds of red and pink paper hearts that had been painstakingly cut out, labelled, and stuck to the window by the student council. One for every student. 

No one knew quite when or why it started but it had become something of a tradition. Every student got a heart to wear and as they went about their day that heart could be ‘won’ (and then worn) by a fellow student in response to a kind gesture, cheesy pickup line or funny joke. It was an equal opportunity lovefest — classmates, friends and couples all throwing out compliments to one another unabashedly.

When they first got to school that morning, hordes of freshman had been noisily crowding around the window to find their hearts. Upperclassmen like Rhett and Link knew to hang back, letting the crowd thin out before going to seek theirs. Rhett had found his easily and was now helping Link, walking back and forth multiple times before he spotted it.

“Over here man.” called Rhett, pointing up at the window. "Who’d you piss off on student council to get yours stuck all the way up there?”

Link followed the path of his finger upwards and sure enough, up there all by itself near the high ceiling, was the red paper heart with his name on it. He groaned. It had to be a good seven feet off the ground. Great.

Adjusting his backpack, he tried standing on his tiptoes to reach, turning towards Rhett as he replied, “Probably Jessica. Remember her? Pretty sure she’s the events coordinator or something.”

Rhett snickered, “The girl you were going with? And then barely ever spent time with at the winter formal? Yeah I remember.”

“Just didn’t feel like dancing, you know I don’t like all that couple stuff man. Besides, least _I_ went with someone.” Link countered. The retort may have been more biting if it hadn’t been delivered by someone hopelessly jumping up and down in an attempt to grab a piece of paper shaped like a heart.

The bell had rung and they were among the last few in the foyer, everyone else having already gotten their hearts and gone to class or made the sensible decision to just come back later. Despite his hatred of lateness, having already spent this much time and energy Link was dead set on getting his no matter how long it took. He looked around, confirmed that the foyer was now empty except for him and Rhett, before he backed up and made a running jump for it. His hand slammed loudly against the window pane, the noise echoing throughout the large space and the tips of his fingers still inches away from the heart.

Rhett had to admire his perseverance. Although he easily could have reached up and gotten it for him, he resisted the urge, preferring to stand back and let Link try first. He knew from experience that his friend sometimes got in a mood where he was determined to do things for himself, not wanting to be babied by Rhett. _We’re in high school now, Rhett,_ he’d say, _Can’t have you helpin’ me all the time like I’m some kid._

If Rhett was being extra honest with himself, he was also kind of enjoying the view. Watching as Link's cheeks reddened with the exertion of launching himself at the window over and over, bright blue eyes locked on his target, his bottom lip jutting out in concentration. Everything about him was endearing and filled Rhett with that sense of fondness he had now permanently associated with being around Link. The strap of his backpack was slipping off his shoulder and Rhett felt himself wanting to go over and adjust it for him, smoothing out the wrinkles in his t-shirt, getting a feel for the shape of his shoulders as he did so.

The sound of an extra loud smack and yelp from Link brought him out of thoughts. 

A fierce rush of protectiveness propelling him forward, Rhett ran from the table he’d been sitting at over to where Link was leaning, back against the window, hand clutching his face.

“Misjudged the distance. Hit my freaking nose.”

“You alright? Let me see.” he said gently, moving to lift Link’s hand away to check for himself. 

“M’fine, not like it’s broken or nothing.” muttered Link, pulling away and already looking back up to the heart. 

Before he could back up for another attempt (and undoubtedly incur more injuries) Rhett got up on his tip toes and stretched to get it for him, fingers first just grazing and then finally, with a much smaller jump than the ones Link had been attempting, he had the red piece of construction paper in his grasp and yanked it down. 

Link looked up at him, sheepish. 

“You know you could have just asked me to get it for you from the start. Not worth breaking your nose over.”

“Already told you, I didn’t break it.” Link said, arm outstretched to receive his hard won prize. "Thanks though."

He saw Rhett’s hand pass his waiting one and move further, to his chest, pressing the scotch tape-backed paper heart just over its flesh and blood counterpart, smoothing out any crinkles he’d put in from pulling it off the window. 

Taken aback by the delicate way in which Rhett was touching him, Link stayed rooted in place, choosing to look down at Rhett’s handiwork rather than risk meeting his eyes. His heartbeat quickened and he felt sure Rhett was able to feel it. He silently hoped he would attribute it to all the running and jumping and not...something decidedly different. 

Rhett’s fingers lingered, ironing out the creases more of a pretence to touch than anything else, before moving abruptly to grip the shoulders he’d been admiring earlier and clapping him on the back.

“Come on brother, let’s get to class.”

\---

In the back corner of their math class, a group of girls were speaking in hushed tones, turning to look in the boys’ direction every so often. Link had his head down, hurriedly scribbling out notes, completely oblivious to their chattering.

Rhett rolled his eyes. Typical. Half the girls in their grade were chasing after him and it didn’t even register among the top ten things Link was thinking about on any given day. He could see why they were interested. Link was a sweet guy and quite the looker — Rhett wasn’t afraid to admit that. To himself at least.

As a fellow teenage boy, Rhett was kind of annoyed that Link wasn’t taking advantage of all the attention. As a fellow teenage boy with a massive crush on him, he was kind of happy about it.

\---

They didn’t have any other classes together that day and couldn’t meet up at lunch because Rhett had been busy writing a test that he’d missed. Rhett couldn't wait for the final bell to ring. A school day spent mostly apart from his best friend was no fun at all. 

When Link approached him at the end of the day to walk home together, he was sporting five more hearts than he’d left him with. 

Rhett let out a wolf whistle, tossing an arm around Link's shoulders and shouting, “Ladies’ man Neal here, everyone!” Link sniggered and shoved him playfully as they began their walk home. 

A quick scan of the names told Rhett that despite having apparently won over the hearts of some of the most popular girls in their grade, not one of them had been able to win his in return. It was hard to keep the smile off his face.

“What’s got you smiling like that?” Link asked.

Rhett ignored his question and responded with one of his own, “You didn’t find anyone to give your heart to all day?”

“Nope,” he shrugged. “Told you, I’m not interested in any girls right now so I didn’t wanna give any of them the wrong impression.” The word ‘girls’ was doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence.

The truth was, as much as this whole heart thing was meant to be lighthearted fun, Link couldn’t take it that way this year, couldn’t help but feel a sense of meaning attached to it. The confusing feelings he’d been harbouring towards Rhett for years were mounting, egged on by Rhett's more touchy behaviour as of late. He didn’t know what to call them. What was the word to describe the way you felt about the person you thought of first thing in the morning and right before bed? The person you always wanted to spend time with, who made you laugh, who was there for you when you cried. Best friend? What about the one you could, even as young as sixteen, easily see yourself spending the rest of your life with? Who set off fireworks in your chest with a single glance but could just as easily make you feel safe and grounded?

“It’s just for fun though Link, it doesn’t have to mean anything.” said Rhett, which was only half true. He himself had been slightly annoyed that he lost his heart to a random girl in his science class that afternoon, laughing politely at one of her attempts at a pick up line. If Link gave his heart to some girl, Rhett wanted it to be like that, all fun and games, just a kind gesture from a friend. But if _he_ was ever lucky enough to get his hands on it, he needed it to mean something. Something real.

They kept talking as they walked, making plans for snacks and the homework they’d do afterwards. The backs of their hands brushed against each other, more so than usual Rhett felt, or was that just wishful thinking on his part? Each instance of contact created a feeling of warmth throughout his entire body. As though tugged by a puppeteer's string, Rhett felt his pinky finger drifting to brush against Link’s hand, rubbing soft circles into his skin.

Link stumbled on his words just a bit, face heating up and the low level buzz he’d been feeling for the last few minutes threatening to bubble over, before catching himself and continuing on.

\---

They were up in Rhett’s room, sitting cross legged across from each other as they did their homework, backpacks and papers spread out on the floor between them and water bottles at their sides. 

As usual, Link got done first and had started working on something not due until next week. Meanwhile, Rhett felt as though he'd reread the same question a dozen times, pencil tapping against his leg in an attempt to expel some of the nervous energy that had him unable to focus. Wanting a distraction, he turned to playing one of his favourite games: Messing With Link. 

“Hey Link?” Rhett said. No response. Rhett launched an eraser at him to get his attention.

“Ouch! What do you want?” 

Rhett smirked to himself, “Did it hurt?” he asked.

“Did what hurt? That eraser you just threw at me?” Link asked, before remembering that morning. “Oh, you mean my nose? Yeah, a bit I guess but it’s all fi-”

Rhett cut him off. “No, not that. Did it hurt,” he paused for dramatic effect, “When you fell from heaven?”

Link choked on the water he’d been drinking. Coughing but attempting to mask his reaction, he responded with teasing. “Pathetic, man. That what you said to get —”, Link looked down at the paper heart still hanging loosely from the bottom right hand corner of Rhett’s shirt, the scotch tape having long since lost its stickiness, “— Amelia’s heart? You should give it back, that's terrible.”

“Could have, it’s pretty great. But no, I used this one.” Rhett said mischievously, reaching for Link’s hand and placing it against his chest before he could object. “Feel this? What’s it feel like to you?”

Link rolled his eyes, knowing what was coming but choosing to humour him while also relishing in the contact, being able to touch without it being weird. “I don’t know man, like a cotton t-shirt.”

“No, you gotta feel it properly, come on.”

He placed his hand on top of Link’s and moved it towards the sleeve, Link mentally noting how big Rhett’s hand felt over his own. He took the sleeve of his shirt between his fingers and decided to continue playing dumb, eyebrows bunched and lips pursed in an _I’m really thinking here_ kind of way.

“Oh I know!” he began, looking up at Rhett, now his turn to be mischievous. “Cotton-polyester blend!”

Rhett shook his head and snickered, moving closer until the distance between them was just a couple of inches. Voice pitched lower, almost comically so, Rhett looked down at Link through his lashes, tone suddenly serious, “It’s boyfriend material.”

Link shivered as Rhett’s voice and words washed over him. He knew it was just a joke but in that tone of voice, that close, with the way he'd been feeling all day — he just couldn’t take the intensity of it all. Rhett looking at him like that made his whole body feel squirmy, wanting to run away and get closer in equal measure.

He laughed to try and ease the tension, high and giggly, bringing a hand up to his face to see if the warmth he felt in his stomach had migrated to his cheeks. He looked down at his lap, fingers twirling into the strands of the carpet, hoping the downward sweep of his hair would be enough to obscure the embarrassed look on his face.

Rhett knew Link long enough to know his tells, or at least he hoped so. Which was what led him to take in a deep breath and tap Link on the shoulder. 

Voice quieter now, not much more than a rumble emanating from his chest, “I think someone owes me their heart.” With that, he reached out towards Link’s paper heart and, just as gently as he’d placed it on him that morning, peeled it off. His movements slow, giving Link time to process, to stop him if this wasn't alright. Link nodded his permission and watched as Rhett placed it on his own shirt, beaming. 

Without either of them speaking, they had somehow both said it all. It had taken time for them to get here but as usual, they were on the same wavelength. They didn't need some long awkward talk about love and feelings right away. Their actions had been speaking for them for years — it had just taken a little while for their brains to catch up.

Rhett fiddled with hands in his lap and Link reached over and intertwined their fingers, thumb rubbing against the back of Rhett's hand, mimicking Rhett's fleeting brushes from earlier. The two sat quietly for a bit, listening to each other breathe, taking in the significance of what had just happened.

It was Link who broke the silence. “Wanna know something silly?” 

“Go for it.”

“Wish I could have your paper heart too.”

“Oh gosh.”

“I know, I already said it was silly.”

“No it’s just,” Rhett started, not knowing where he was going with his sentence. Would it be too much to dump on Link within minutes of this new...thing? Sensing his nervousness, Link lifted their clasped hands up towards his mouth, maintaining eye contact as his lips brushed against the back of Rhett’s hand, urging him to keep talking. Rhett took in a shaky breath and continued, “It’s just, you know you’ve had my heart since forever right? Felt like it’s been written all over my face for years.”

“Maybe you’re a better actor than you think?” asked Link.

“Could be. Or maybe you’re just oblivious.” said Rhett, bracing himself as Link dropped his hand and elbowed him sharply. “Hey!”

Suddenly Rhett was hit with an idea and stood up, sprinting his way downstairs before Link could stop him, shouting, “Just give me second, I'll be right back!” Once downstairs, he dug around various drawers and cupboards until he found what he was looking for. After a few minutes work, he made his way back up, Link waiting for him at the top of the steps.

“Here.” said Rhett, holding out his hastily made creation. “Now we’ve both got each other's hearts.”

Rhett’s attempt at a heart was crooked rather than cookie cutter perfect, white rather than red, with his name scrawled haphazardly rather than neatly printed. Link thought it was perfect. He felt himself grin from ear to ear, pulling Rhett in for a hug. “You didn’t have to do that.” he mumbled into his shoulder.

“I know. But you said you wanted one.”

"I did."

"So I had to get you one. Boyfriend material, remember?"

“You’re a sap.”

He stepped back and looked down at Link, tucking a small tuft of hair behind his ear as he said, “I know. And you love it.”

“You bet.”

They stepped back into the room and Rhett begrudgingly got back to his homework. This time they sat side by side, Link’s head coming down to rest on Rhett’s shoulder as he watched him work and offered the occasional pointer, ever so often reaching down to trace along his paper heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for taking the time to read my first proper fic, it means the world to me. Feedback is of course also very much appreciated :)


End file.
